349 Squadron

349 SQUADRON

Motto:

"Strike hard, strike home "

Badge:

Two morning stars in saltire

History of 349 Squadron:

No.349 Squadron was formed on 10 November 1942 at Ikeja in Nigeria, as a Belgian-manned fighter squadron for service in the Belgian Congo. After flying Tomahawks for a few months, the squadron's pilots were diverted to ferrying fighters to the Middle East, and at the end of May its personnel were transferred to the UK to reform at Wittering with Spitfires on 5 June 1943. Becoming operational on 13 August, it moved south in October and began flying sweeps over France on 24 October. After covering the Normandy landings as part of No.135 Wing No.349 moved to France in August 1944 for fighter bomber and escort missions until February 1945, when it returned to the UK to re-equip with Tempests. Conversion was abandoned in April and the squadron moved to the Netherlands to join No.132 Wing for the rest of the war, flying armed reconnaissance sweeps over Germany. After a period with the occupation forces, No.349 passed to the control of the Belgian Air Force on 24 October 1946.